Stone Bridge over Troubled Water
by Sabbie
Summary: Toph and Katara talk about puberty and...Zuko? zutara


It was two weeks or so after the group invaded and defeated the Fire Nation. The invasion had gone out smoothly. The people warmed up to the heroes from all four nation rather quickly too. But like most things in life, as she reflected, nothing ever goes as exactly planned.

She was just walking down the halls, taking a break from healing all the soldiers from all the nation. The Northern Water Tribe, with Yugoda's guidance had came with a small fleet of healers, helping Katara with her job. It was Iroh's devious idea to promote peace again. Invite the female healers to lessen the tensions between the nations. It had worked well. Too well in fact, she noted to herself. She had lost count at how many soldiers from both sides were hitting on her. Even Yugoda herself, was getting attention that wasn't necessarily unwanted.

When she showed up for lunch, Zuko was carrying Toph, struggling away to be free.

He blushed.

"Um."

"Yes?" Her eyes didn't meet his.

"I think this might be your department." he said, almost whispering.

"What is?" Katara asked curiously.

"AW COME ON FIREFLY! I THOUGHT WE WENT THROUGH THIS ALREADY!!" protested the petite eathbender in his arms.

"She uh...well, she need your help more, because I'm not very good at this." He was stuttering, his face became even redder.

"Okaaaay..."

"YOU TRAITOR I THOUGHT YOU'D HELP ME!!"

"She has wounds..."

"Why don't you say so? Bring her over to my room!!" the waterbender commanded. The firebender obeyed.

Moments later, the two girls were sequestered away in a rather pleasing looking room. It was decorated with few Water tribe skin pelts. Katara sat Toph down in the bed.

"So where does it hurt Toph?" she asked as she brought water from the basin to her hands.

Toph pouted and pointed to the general direction. But she didn't really specify the position.

"Let me see?"

She hesitated at first. Embarassed, she attempted to cover it up. After a bit of a tudding and fighting, she finally gave up. She took off her skirt and showed Katara where her blood was coming out of.

"Ohhhhh." Katara said, finally understanding Zuko's rather uneloquent plea for help. She amused. The big, tough, firebender who could redirect lightning, set a whole city on fire and face Azula was too scared of explaining this to Toph?

"You know I didn't really want you to know in case you're gonna throw me hysterics or stuff like that." Toph spat out. It was obvious that she was trying to contain embarassment.

The comment stung slightly. Katara frowned. But this was Toph afterall. She chose to bit the bullet.

"Am I gonna die soon?" came Toph's query. It was asked in a rude tone but Katara could sense the tinge of worry on her voice.

"Not exactly, no." the healer clinically answered.

"So, what's up?"

"You're going to experience this every month. Approximately one week in every month. " At this point, Katara melted the water back into the basin.

"WHAT?? EVERY DAMN MONTH?"

"Until you're Gran Gran's age." Katar answered, carrying the basin to her dresser.

"WHAT?? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

Katara took a couple of bandages with her as she responded. "Well, it means you're ready to have babies." Her voice was laced with cheerfulness and slight amusement.

"But I thought babies came from storks!"

Katara turned around and took a good long look at her "little sister".

"You actually believe that?" was what came out of her mouth.

"That's what I was told by my folks and Aang said the same thing."

Oh dear. The Avatar probably hadn't really gotten the talk when he ran away from the Southern Air Temple. She wondered if Toph had asked Sokka. Then again... Sokka, wasn't exactly good at explaining this sort of thing. And evidently Zuko had brought her over to her.

She gave the bandage to Toph who expertly tied her bloodied area with it.

"Well for starters Toph, babies are made when two people who are very in love with each other and/or married decided to..."

"Cut the crap, I know that bit already. The Heavenly Stork comes after they start sharing rooms right?"

Katara hesitated. It has to be done sooner or later. And ... it's probably better her than someone else.

Katara came to Toph's ear and started. "Well, actually..."

Toph's face was changing into several different expressions as she went through the explanation. Katara's words were very graphic and rather visual, even for her. The exposition took what seemed forever and it was rather...unpleasant and awkward. When Katara was finished, Toph's blind eyes stared widely into nothing.

"So basically..."

"Yes."

"And the penis goes..."

"Yes."

"And then..."

"Uh huh."

"Oh Lord..." Toph cried out. Her back suddenly slumped to the wall at the shock of the information load."How do you go back from knowing that?" she asked curiously.

"You just dont." Katara answered gravely.

Toph took a deep breath and said, "Man...you, you know so much it's as if you've done it before."

There was silence in the air. Toph felt a few quickened heartbeats, a flustered movement and Katara's body slowly turned away from her. This reaction...

"OH JEEZ YOU DID, DIDN'T YOU??" she shouted in disbelief.

Toph could feel the rush of blood coming up to Katara's cheeks. She also felt the sudden temperature drop in the room. She had hit the spot.

"No I didn't" Katara vehemently denied. There was panic in her voice.

Her heartbeats were unstable.

"Katara, you know better than that. " she started.

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!!"

"I meant about lying to me."

"...oh that." Suddenly Katara's steam went away.

She could feel the insecure footsteps coming towards her. Katara then sat herself beside Toph.

"Just don't tell anyone." the waterbender said defensively.

"Ok."

Toph heard the sound of a relieved sigh.

"It's just that I felt that we might die that day...and...one thing lead to another. ...I don't know anymore. I'm so confused."

"I'm assuming it's Sparky."

More blood were rushing to Katara's cheeks. Toph swore that it was so fast it sounded like Aang's whirring air-scooters.

"Are you pregnant?"

"NO!!"

Katara sighed. She supposed that it was expected. After all, this was Toph's first time hearing 'the truth'. She softened her voice.

"That sort of thing, you know when I tell you that when two people love each other...?"

Toph nodded.

"Well, they do that. It's not just making babies. It's an expression for feelings." Or at least that was how she thought it was supposed to be. That damn firendender hasn't talked to her since they defeated Ozai. Although, she reminded herself, she hasn't exactly made an effort to talk to him either. After a night like that, she'd expect him to say something about it.

"So...is that why you two have been avoiding each other?"

Katara nodded. "I don't know about him, but... I don't really know where to go after that."

Toph rose her eyebrows. "I don't know about you but, you guys can be so exasperating!" Toph said, changing her seating position.

"Oh?" She looked up.

"Every damn day I can't stand being around him and you in the same room."

"Why?"

"His heartbeats are too damn loud to tolerate! And his blood rushed everywhere like a really loud thunderstorm it's so annoying!! Have you ever heard his whole body rush when you come in a room?!"

Katara chuckled. "Really?"

"Yeah. And yours are just as annoying as his."

"Oh sorry..."

"S'okay, Sugarqueen. The thing I want to know is, why can't you two just...you know...go on?"

"It's just that, you know...he's Fire Nation royalty and I'm from the Water tribe. And there are certain things that people expect of me and him. Half the people around him probably expects him to marry Mai, and well, I'm probably expected to come back to South Pole and rebuild. Possibly settling down with a Water Tribe boy. And ...you know, it all just becomes complicated."

The petite earthbender listened intently to her 'big sister'. Was this the same person that according to Aang and Sokka broke a whole iceberg, forced a waterbending master to accept her as his student, defeat both Ozai and Azula with her bloodbending?

But then she thought of herself.

And Sokka.

Toph gave Katara a hug.

It was the first time that her "little sister" genuinely gave her a hug. She was so tiny, but it was a warm hug. It had the same feeling as the rock shelters she built for them, small but sturdy and warm. They both stayed still for a while.

A few seconds later, Toph's body stiffened.

She felt footsteps approaching the room and she let go of the hug.

"Eh?" was Katara's confused reaction.

There was a hesitant knock on the door but Toph opened it, revealing Zuko.

"You." she began murderously. "My life was fine and dandy up till now and you had to go and ruin it."

He shrugged. "You live and learn. You have to know about it one of these days."

"You better be grateful I'm feeling merciful today."

"Oh and why is that?"

"Because you and Sweetness have unfinished business to attend to. "

Both of them blushed when she said those words. He slowly approached Katara and held her right hand.

"I uh..." he began awkwardly.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering...if you would do me the honour of...maybe joining me for dinner tonight, just the two of us?"

Katara's face were crimson red now. Her heartbeats were going a hundred mile a minute and her blood rushed everywhere. She was feeling rather--

"Sugar queen, stop doing that My ears hurt!!"

Zuko turned around at Toph angrily, "Do you mind?"

Toph answered smoothly, "Not at all." And with that she left the premises, singing the song about the cave of two lovers until she was out of sight.

Katara's face practically lit up when she answered, "Yes, I'd like to."


End file.
